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GRAYSON

I like fun comics. I like comics that have a sense of adventure, comics that stop you in your tracks and make you say, “CooOOool!” So, why in tarnation haven’t I been reading GRAYSON? Time to fix that. Toot sweet.

GRAYSON picks up after the events of the previous NIGHTWING series. Outed as an undercover superhero by the Crime Syndicate, the world thinks Dick “Nightwing” Grayson dead. But instead, he’s now deep undercover as an agent of Spyral, keeping tabs on their oh-so-mysterious director Mr. Minos, and reporting back regularly to his former mentor, Batman.

So far, the first six issues (counting the World’s End tie-in) have been a series of single issue stories. Told at breakneck speed, writers Tim Seely and Tom King are incorporating aspects of Jim Sterenko’s espionage flavor from his run on SHIELD, with Grant Morrison’s future-is-now storytelling. All to perfect effect. Best of all? They are leaving room for the characters to breathe a little. In issue 1, our hero is jumping onto the roof of a high-speed train (as you do). When forced to take out an enemy agent by throwing his gun and taking out the agent with a perfect richochet, he bemoans the fact that, “The downside of a solo act. No one around to see you do the cool stuff.” While, high on another mountain peak, we see that the scene is taken in by the Midnighter, who says to himself, “Damn. That was pretty cool.” As a huge Stormwatch/Authority fan, I was very happy to see the Midnighter show up. Watching the two circle each other over the course of the series has been very cool, and surprisingly natural. Having the Midnighter as Grayson’s opposite number is a stroke of genius.

This is good stuff. As Agent 37 and The Matron, Dick Grayson and Helena Bertinelli (The Huntress!) are sent out on a series of missions to contain/capture/neutralize any metahuman bio-weapons that show up on Spyral’s radar. This is high intensity espionage action, just the way you like it.

Now. Let’s take a moment to talk about how good this book looks. Mikel Janin is the REAL DEAL. The man can draw, well… ANYTHING. From high-speed trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway, to ominous super-secret spy headquarters, to an issue long parkour adventure across the grounds of a proper English finishing school. Having Janin on board boosts the quality of this book immensely. Partnered with Jeromy Cox on colors, I can’t imagine a better looking book.

Knowledge of the aforementioned NIGHTWING series is not at all needed- GRAYSON stands on it’s own. A book that carves out it’s own slice of the espionage corner of the New 52, GRAYSON deserves to be noticed.